ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this episode, Cameron Edwards, chair of the APA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee talks to Samoan physiotherapist Oka Sanerivi about culturally safe practice. This can look different depending on the particular culture, but at its heart is based on recognising and understanding culture and factors that influence how people of a culture interact with health care services and providers.
Cameron Edwards is the current Chair of the APA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee. A proud Kamilaroi man, he currently works at Westmead Children’s Hospital in NSW in Burns and Mental Health. He has enjoyed rotating through approximately fifteen clinical areas within NSW Health, working with both adult and paediatric populations. Cameron was awarded the inaugural NSW health Aboriginal Allied Health Professional of the Year in 2021, as well as the APA NSW Branch Award—Contribution to the APA by a Recent Graduate in 2022. Cameron seeks opportunities to advocate for, and give a voice to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s, as demonstrated through his hosting of the Deadly Physios.
Dr Oka Sanerivi is a Samoan, Tongan physiotherapy clinician, governor, researcher and expert in Pacific cultural safety in healthcare, with over 14 years of clinical experience including as a paediatric physiotherapist. Oka received his PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Otago, becoming the first Pacific person to be awarded a PhD in Physiotherapy. His doctoral research titled ‘Le taualuga o tausiga (the epitome of care): In Search of Samoan Cultural Safety in Physiotherapy’, was inspired by his clinical work as part of an emergency medical response team during the Samoan Measles outbreak in 2019. The study explored how physiotherapists in New Zealand could best engage and uphold the dignity of Samoan and Pacific families in their care. Oka holds the positions as a Senior Research Fellow at the Va’a o Tautai: Centre for Pacific Health at the University of Otago, as well as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Mātai Medical Research Institute in Tairāwhiti. Oka has held several governance roles including as an Executive Committee Member for Physiotherapy New Zealand, the Chair of the Pasifika Physiotherapy Association and currently as Deputy Chairperson for the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand. He is committed to integrating the best of Pacific indigenous knowledges with transformational scientific findings to benefit public health and wellbeing outcomes.
